Apparatus for heating and dispensing french fried potatoes

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for effecting the automatic vending of heated Frenchfried potatoes and like articles which includes a rotatable openended cage-like container selectively displaceable in predetermined cyclic timed relation from a first position, where it is disposed to receive a remotely introduced charge of preprocessed potatoes, to a charge tumbling position wherein the charge contained therein is subjected to a tumbling action within a high temperature air stream and to a third position for effecting a remote delivery of heated and crisped potatoes externally of the unit.

nited States Patent Schneider 1 Mar. 11, 1975 1 APPARATUS FOR HEATINGAND DISPENSING FRENCH FRIED POTATOES [76] Inventor: J- RaymondSchneider, 97 N.

Chadsworth Ave., Larchmont, NY. 10538 [22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1973 [21]Appl. No.: 337,144

[52] [1.8. Cl. 221/150 A, 221/150 HC, 99/357, 99/427, 99/443 R, 99/483[51 Int. Cl. A47j 43/00 [58] Field of Search 221/150, 150 A; 99/407,99/409, 357, 427, 443 R, 483

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,027,146 1/1936 Bly et al99/409 X 2,825,488 3/1958 Nelson 221/150 Sicher et al 99/407 PrimaryExaminer-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-J0seph .l. RollaAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Nims, Hones, Collison & lsner [57] ABSTRACTApparatus for effecting the automatic vending of heated French-friedpotatoes and like articles which includes a rotatable open-endedcage-like container selectively displaceable in predetermined cyclictimed relation from a first position, where it is disposed to receive aremotely introduced charge of pre-processed potatoes, to a chargetumbling position wherein the charge contained therein is subjected to atumbling action within a high temperature air stream and to a thirdposition for effecting a remote delivery of heated and crisped potatoesexternally of the unit.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEU W1 1 19175 sum 1 UF 3 FIG.2

PATENTEDHARI 1 a SHEET 2 0f 3 FIG?) FIGA FIG. 4B

APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND DISPENSING FRENCH FRIED POTATOES Thisinvention relates to an improved construction for automated vendingmachine apparatus for effecting the delivery of freshly heated andcrisped French-fried potatoes and like articles in response to acustomer initiated demand therefor.

Recent years have witnessed a rapidly increasing usage of automatedvending machines for the dispensing of freshly heated foods and foodproducts in response to a customer-initiated demand therefor. Suchincreased usage is largely attributable to the adevent of the micro-waveoven and to the permitted rapid in situ heating and/or cooking effectedthereby. While such type ovens have proved to be eminently satisfactoryfor the rapid heating of many different types of foods, they areapparently not particularly suitable for the repetitive preparation offreshly heated and crisped French fried potatoes in an appetizingmanner.

This invention may be briefly described as an improved construction forautomated vending machines for the preparation and dispensing, uponcustomerinitiated demand therefor, of freshly heated French friedpotatoes and like articles and which includes, in its broader aspects, arotatable open-ended screen type cage sequentially displaceable from acharge receiving position to an article tumbling position wherein thecontained charge of preprocessed potatoes is tumbled in a hightemperature air stream for a predetermined period of time and thence toa charge delivery position wherein the freshly heated and crispedpotatoes are delivered externally of the machine to the customertherefor. In its narrower aspects, the subject invention includesprovision of an enclosing housing desirably containing auxilliary meansfor dispensing measured charges of preprocessed potatoes from a storedsupply thereof for direct and/or customer effected introduction thereofinto the rotatable cage and a cyclically operable automatic controlsystem to properly initiate and sequence system component operations inpredetermined timed relation to effect the automatic delivery of freshlyheated and crisped potatoes at a predetermined time subsequent to theirintroduction into the charge receiving cage therein.

Among the advantages of the subject invention is the provision of asimple and inexpensive, user actuated automatic vending machine for therapid delivery of appetizing, freshly heated and crisped French friedpotatoes in response to user initiated demand therefor and the avoidanceof all usage of hot grease reservoirs as are now conventionally employedin the preparation of such articles. Other advantages include provisionof an automated vending machine for dispensing freshly heated andcrisped French fried potatoes upon user initiated demand therefor thatissafely maintained in sanitary condition during usage thereof andrequires essentially only periodic replenishment of an auxiliary supplyof preprocessed potatoes and replacement of a single component thereoffor continuance of sanitary operation. A further advantage is thepermitted usage of potatoes that have been selectively preprocessed inaccord with their particular nature and cooking requirements so as tofacilitate the ultimate delivery thereof in the most flavorful andappetizing manner.

The primary object of the subject invention is the provision of improvedconstruction for automated vending equipment for the rapid preparationand delivcry of freshly heated and crisped French fried potatoes inresponse to a customer initiated demand therefor.

Another object of the subject invention is the provision of simple andrelatively inexpensive, but yet highly reliable, safe and sanitary meansfor rapidly heating selectively preprocessed French fried potatoes topermit the dispensing thereof from automated vending machinery.

Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will becomeapparent from the following portion of this specification and from theappended drawings which illustrate, in accord with the mandate of thepatent statutes, a presently preferred construction incorporating theprinciples of the subject invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an oblique schematic view of an automatic vending machineassembly constructed in accord with the principles of this inventionadapted to dispense heated and crisped French fried potatoes and likeproducts;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of a preferred arrangement ofmechanical components includable in the unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the components illustrated in FIG. 2

FIGS. 4a through 4d are schematic views, partly in section, as generallytaken from the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and are intended tp be generallyillustrative of the positioning of the rotatable container assembly inits various operating positions;

FIG. 5 is a schematic electro-mechanical circuit diagram illustratingthe essentials of a suitable control system for initiating andcontrolling the requisite predetermined sequence of operations. in timedrelation to ef feet the desired delivery of freshly heated and crispedFrench fried potatoes.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, there isprovided a perimetric protective and enclosing housing having the usualcoin insertion slots and starting sequence button assembly, generallydesignated 12, mounted thereon for user initiated starting of machineoperations. The nature of the coin reception and starting assemblyactuating mechanism may be of essentially conventional construction andforms no part of the novel subject matter of this invention. Theperimetric housing 10 is contoured to provide a suitable aperture 14 onthe upper surface 16 thereof for introduction of a charge ofpreprocessed French fried potatoes thereinto and a second aperture 20disposed adjacent the bottom, thereof defining the delivery end of aninternally disposed charge delivery chute containing a removable drawermember 22. As illustrated by the dotted lines, the housing 10 may alsoinclude a charge supply portion, generally designated 18, adopted tosuitably contain a plurality of stored charges of selectivelypreprocessed potatoes or the like and associated delivery mechanism (notshown) for effecting the selective introduction thereof into theaperture 14 in response to customer initiated machine actuation.

Disposed within the housing 10 is an elongate horizontally disposedplatform having a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft 32, journaled ina pair of supporting standards 34, 36, disposed in spaced relationtherewith. A position control cam 38 is mounted at one end of said shaft32 and the outer shaft end is connected to the side wall of, and thuspartially supports, a charge container casing member 40. Thediametrically opposed side wall of the casing member 40 is supportivelyjournaled on the terminal end of an elongate tubular heating member 42.The heating member 42 is supported by a standard 44 and has its otherend connected to the output of a conventional radial fan assembly 46driven by a blower motor 48. The charge container casing member 40,which is the general form of a rectangular polyhedron having a pair ofadjacent defining side walls thereof open to permit charge introductionand delivery therefrom and free heated air circulation therethrough aswill be later explained, is notably displaceable in conjunction withrotation of the shaft 32 and in a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal axes thereof. Disposed adjacent to the casing 40 andpositioned to normally close one of the open sides thereof during thecharge reception and charge heating operations is a spring biased platemember 58, pivotally mounted as at 68.

Rotation of the shaft 32 and concomitant rotation of the chargecontainer casing member 40 is effected by the selection energization ofa position drive motor 50 through drive sprocket 52, a drive chain 54and a driven sprocket 56 mounted on the shaft 32.

Disposed within the casing member 40 is an independently rotatable andcylindrically shaped open-ended charge container or cage member 60,suitably constructed of relatively open mesh wire screening or the like.The cage member 60 is mounted on the terminal end of an independentlyrotatable stub shaft 62 journaled, as at 64, in the base portion 66 ofthe casing member 40. The cage member 60 is preferably contoured toprovide an elongate cylindrically shaped body portion of uniformdiameter and of a length substantially commensurate with that of thecasing 40 so as to locate the open end thereof essentially coplanar withone of the open ends of the casing 40 and with the other open side ofthe casing member 40 being disposed parallel to the container side wall,when the open ends are coplanar, as described above.

As is now apparent, the cage 60 will be rotatably displaced in a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 32 in conjunctionwith the rotative displacement of the casing member 40 and isadditionally independently rotatably displaceable therewithin.

Independent rotation of the cage 60 within the casing 40 is effectedthrough selective energization of a cage rotation motor 70, drivesprocket 72, a drive chain 74 and driven sprocket 76. The drivensprocket 76 is keyed to a bevel gear 78 and both arefreely rotatablymounted on the shaft 32. Bevel gear 78 in turn drives bevel gear 80mounted on the upper end of idler shaft 82 supported by the standards 84on the casing member 40. Rotative displacement of the shaft 82 istransmitted, through a terminally mounted sprocket 86, a drive chain 88and the sprocket 90 mounted on the dependent end of the shaft 62 to suchstub shaft 62, and hence to the cage 60.

As is now apparent, the charge containing cage 60 is adapted to beindependently rotated about its longitudinal axis by its drive motor 70,and the cage 60 and casing 40 are adapted to be jointly rotatablydisplaced as a unit in response to predetermined degrees of rotativedisplacement of the shaft 32 as effected by the drive motor 50.

The blower motor 48 is selectively actuable and the output of the bloweror fan assembly 46 is adopted to feed air to and through the tubularheating element 42. The terminus of the tubular heating element 43extends through the casing 40 and is disposed in proximity with the cage60 for effecting the directed delivery of a stream of high temperatureair, suitably at about 800F, thereonto, as will be hereinafter pointedout. The electrical heating element disposed within the tubular heat 42(not shown) is independently theremostatically controlled and is adaptedto be maintained, while in standby condition, with sufficient currentflowing therethrough as to maintain an ambient operating temperatureadjacent thereto at about 800F when the blower motor 48 is inoperativeand to effectively deliver a heated air stream at about 800F when theblower 46 is operative.

Referring now also to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cage 60 (and casing 40) will,in the preferred mode of operation, normally be initially stationarilypositioned with its longitudinal axis vertically disposed and with theopen end thereof disposed closely beneath the charging aperture 14 forreception of a charge of preprocessed potatoes introduced thereinto.When so positioned, the adjacent open side wall of the casing member 40will be effectively closed by the spring biased closure plate 68. SeeFIG. 4a. Essentially, all components but the aforesaid heating elementare in an off condition, the switch SW-l is maintained open and theswitch SW-2a will be normally closed by suitable nodes on the positioncontrol cam 38. The unit is then ready to receive a charge ofpreprocessed potatoes introduced into the cage 60 through the aperture14, either automatically or by a user. Upon depression of the startsequence button 99, power will be supplied to the position control motor50 through the closed contacts of switch SW-Za. energizing said motor 50and effecting initiation of rotation of the shaft 32 with concomitantrotative displacement of the positioning cam 38. The initial rotativedisplacement of the cam 38 permits the normally biased closure of switchSW-l to be effected and a thereby permitted release of the depressedstart button 99 without breaking the closed positioning motor drivecurrent. As the shaft 32 rotates from its 0 starting position to aposition (see FIGS. 4b and 4c), the casing 40 and container cage 60 willbe displaced from the vertical to a horizontal position Suchdisplacement will result in a partial displacement of the plate 58 asindicated in FIG. 4b and permitted spring biased return thereof of theposition illustrated in FIG. 4c wherein it effectively closes the openend of the now horizontally disposed rotatable cage 60. When the cage 60reaches its horizontal position, the positioning control cam 38 willoperate to open switch SW-Za and close switch SW-Zb. The opening ofswitch SW-2a opens the energizing circuit for the cage positioning motor50 and halts further rotative displacement of the shaft 32, casing 40and cage 60. The closure of the switch SW-Zb closes the energizingcircuits for the cage rotation motor 70 to effect independent rotativedisplacement of the cage 60 within the casing 40 and for the blowermotor 48 to initiate the flow of a stream of air through the heatingelement 42. Concurrently thereunder, the closure of the switch SW-2bcloses the energizing circuit for an internal timing motor 100 toinitiate operation thereof. The timing motor 100 drives a cam 102 thatis adapted, after a predetermined time delay that defines a dwell periodof suitably about 40 to 60 seconds, to close normally open switch SW-3and reenergize the position control drive motor 50. During the abovedescribed dwell period, the contained charge of preprocessed potatoeswithin the rotating cage 60 will be tumbled within a stream of heatedair in the vicinity of 800F emanating from the tubular heating element42, with the heated air being vented from the casing 40 from the nowopen underside thereof.

The reenergization of the position control drive motor 50 andconcomitant resumptionof rotation of shaft 32 will effect an opening ofthe switch SW-2b, a concomitant closure of switch SW-2a and resumptionof rotative displacement of the casing 40, contained cage 60 and the nowheated contents thereof. The opening switch SW-2b opens the energizingcircuits for the blower motor 48, the cage rotation motor 70 and thetiming motor 100 effecting a cessation of operation thereof. The closureof switch SW-2a permits continued operation of the position controlmotor 50 and continued rotative displacement of the casing 40 andcontained cage 60. As the casing 40 and cage 60 progress (see FIG. 4d)from the horizontal through their vertical inverted position, thecontained charge of heated and crisped French fried potatoes will bedumped from the open end of the cage 60 into the delivery chute and intothe removable charge receiving drawer 22 disposed therewithin. Saidrotative displacement of the shaft 32, positioning control cam 38,casing 40 and cage 60 will continue until the casing 40 and cage 60reach their initial starting position with the open end of the cagedisposed beneath the charge entry aperture 14, at which time the controlcam 38 will operate to open SW-l and stop the operation of the motor 50.At such time all components will be disposed in condition for theresumption of a new cycle of operation.

As will now be apparent, the subject apparatus is fully enclosed by theperimetric housing which not only provides the requisite safety featuresto preclude customer injury resulting from use thereof, but alsofacilitates the maintenance of the operating components in a sanitarycondition. In operation, the charge of preprocessed potatoes only comesin contact with the rotating cage 60 which is an inexpensive and readilyreplaceable unit for sanitary purposes.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for heating and delivering freshly heated French Friedpotatoes, comprising rotatable open ended cage means sequentiallydisplaceable from a first charge receiving position to a second chargetumbling position and to a third charge delivering position, means forindependently rotating said cage means in said second and thirdpositions thereof, means for directing a stream of heated air into heattransfer relation with the tumbling charge in said cage means when thelatter is rotatably disposed in its second position,

and cyclically operable control means for effecting the sequenceddisplacement of said cage means in predetermined timed relation fromsaid first to said second to said third position.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a perimetric housingenclosing the aforesaid means,

a charge supply entry means in said housing for effecting introductionof a charge of unheated potatoes into said cage means from a remotelocation therefrom when said cage means is in its first position, and

a charge delivery chute for effecting delivery of said charge of freshlyheated potatoes from said cage means externally of said housing whensaid cage means is in its third position.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including means disposed withinsaid housing for dispensing a predetermined quantity of preprocessedpotatoes for introduction thereof into said charge supply entry means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including means associated withsaid cyclically operable means for actuating said heated air streamdirecting means for a predetermined time period when said cage means isin said second position.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a thermostaticallycontrolled heating element for supplying heat to said stream of air.

6. Apparatus for heating and delivering freshly heated French Friedpotatoes, comprising rotatable open ended cage means sequentiallydisplaceable from a first charge receiving position to a second chargetumbling position and to a third charge delivering position,

a casing member enclosing said charge containing cage means and rotablydisplaceable in conjunction therewith from said first to second to thirdposition,

means for independently rotating said cage within said casing member,

means for directing a stream of heated air into heat transfer relationwith the tumbling charge in said cage means when the latter is rotatablydisposed in its second position, and

cyclically operable control means for effecting the sequenceddisplacement of said cage means in predetermined timed relation fromsaid first to said second to said third position.

1. Apparatus for heating and delivering freshly heated French Friedpotatoes, comprising rotatable open ended cage means sequentiallydisplaceable from a first charge receiving position to a second chargetumbling position and to a third charge delivering position, means forindependently rotating said cage means in said second and thirdpositions thereof, means for directing a stream of heated air into heattransfer relation with the tumbling charge in said cage means when thelatter is rotatably disposed in its second position, and cyclicallyoperable control means for effecting the sequenced displacement of saidcage means in predetermined timed relation from said first to saidsecond to said third position.
 1. Apparatus for heating and deliveringfreshly heated French Fried potatoes, comprising rotatable open endedcage means sequentially displaceable from a first charge receivingposition to a second charge tumbling position and to a third chargedelivering position, means for independently rotating said cage means insaid second and third positions thereof, means for directing a stream ofheated air into heat transfer relation with the tumbling charge in saidcage means when the latter is rotatably disposed in its second position,and cyclically operable control means for effecting the sequenceddisplacement of said cage means in predetermined timed relation fromsaid first to said second to said third position.
 2. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1 including a perimetric housing enclosing the aforesaidmeans, a charge supply entry means in said housing for effectingintroduction of a charge of unheated potatoes into said cage means froma remote location therefrom when said cage means is in its firstposition, and a charge delivery chute for effecting delivery of saidcharge of freshly heated potatoes from said cage means externally ofsaid housing when said cage means is in its third position.
 3. Apparatusas set forth in claim 2 including means disposed within said housing fordispensing a predetermined quantity of preprocessed potatoes forintroduction thereof into said charge supply entry means.
 4. Apparatusas set forth in claim 3 including means associated with said cyclicallyoperable means for actuating said heated air stream directing means fora predetermined time period when said cage means is in said secondposition.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including athermostatically controlled heating element for supplying heat to saidstream of air.